Mike Danna could have declared for the 2019 NFL Draft after graduating from Central Michigan last spring, but decided to play out his final season of eligibility for the Michigan Wolverines. This saw him in more of a rotational/bit role than his time in Mt. Pleasant, but still is a player that has the potential to come off the board late.
Here is Danna’s background and what he brings to the table as a prospect heading into the draft.
Info
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 250 pounds
School: Michigan
Position: EDGE
Projected: 7th round-undrafted
Combine Results: Did not receive combine invite
Player Comparison: Ifeadi Odenigbo
What he brings to the Chiefs
This was a pretty surprising pick, but the old adage is that all it takes is one team to take a chance and on day three, you see teams take chances on guys. Danna is going to have a shot to make the roster as a member of the defensive line rotation and could be a solid depth piece.
Strengths
- Another high-effort, high-motor Michigan prospect who wins with his attitude and determination on the field
- Plays with great power and is able win battles with his strength
- Packs a pretty good first punch and his hand work Is a strength of his
- Good leverage firing out of his stance, pad level helps offset lack of pure athleticism
- High football IQ and rarely played with lack of discipline in college
- 38 total tackles, three sacks, forced fumble playing in a pass rush rotation that included Josh Uche, Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson, the latter two likely being NFL Draft selections next year with Uche coming off the board this year
Weaknesses
- Lacks the explosiveness and bend that productive NFL pass rushers possess
- Much of his tape comes from playing in the MAC at CMU with obvious level of competition concerns
- There’s not much positional flexibility here, is not a player that projects to be able to kick inside at the next level nor play from a rush linebacker spot
- Does not posses the athletic ability to adjust if beaten off the snap, he has to be the hammer, not the nail
Overview
Danna is not a prospect that is going to blow anyone away, but he always looked like someone who belonged on the field — whether it be as one of CMU’s stars on defense or in a rotation like the one he played in at Michigan. His lack of athleticism is what holds him back the most and probably limits him to a special teams and depth piece in the NFL. Still, what he brings to the table is a high-character, high-motor prospect that should at the very least land him a training camp invite somewhere. This is a steady, solid college pass rusher who has the potential to hear his name called late on day three of the draft, even if it winds up being a undrafted free agent offer.